This invention relates to a tactile feedback system for computer and video game systems and, more particularly, to a universal tactile feedback system for computer and video game systems which provides real time tactile feedback to enhance a user""s experience while interacting with a computer/video game or simulation.
With the advent of low cost microprocessors and the explosive growth of the PC industry, electronic gaming has proliferated at a blinding rate. Games and simulations are now executed, in homes and arcades, on a vast array of available hardware platforms, where each hardware platform yields its own unique combination of complexity, and fidelity, and cost. Depending on a given hardware implementation, game players may have many different types of control input devices at their disposal that are used to interact with a game or simulation. For example, driving games and simulations may use any combination of control input devices such as steering wheels, gear shifters, and gas/brake/clutch pedal units. Flight games and simulations may use any combination of control input devices such as throttles, weapons controllers, joysticks, rudder pedals, and flight yolks. First person perspective action games may use any combination of joystick, mouse, or 3D control. In most cases, a person playing a game or simulation is sitting in a seat of some kind while interacting with the hardware control input devices.
In order for tactile sensation to be effectively implemented by a modern electronic gaming system, where there are so many inconsistencies between various hardware systems and their software applications, an entirely new approach is necessary. In order to be most effective, a gaming or simulation system must be able to provide the illusion that all of the available disparate control input devices that control a given simulation are each part of a unified whole, and that they are not independent, physically disconnected devices. This is necessary to suspend the disbelief of the person who is interacting with the game or simulation system.
Due to the current and future countless implementations of computer based video game and simulation systems, and due to the continually expanding library of game and simulation applications that can be executed on such systems, a need exists in the art for a truly universal tactile feedback system that can function without regard to the specific apparatus, implementation, or application of any given system. Furthermore, a need exists in the art for a universal system that can accommodate currently existing and future control input devices, via simple and inexpensive tactile feedback actuators, that can be readily connected to or embedded within said devices, such that these disparate devices become part of a unified whole. Additionally, a need exists in the art for a universal system that will function both with and without support by the host gaming apparatus, achieving said functionality by implementing both a reprogrammable audio analysis function, and/or a direct digital control function. Moreover, a need exists in the art for a tactile feedback seating unit, that is not based on a low frequency speaker system, such that vehicle based games and simulations can be more realistically rendered, both with and without support by the host gaming apparatus. Furthermore, a need exists in the art for a vest-based tactile sensation generator, such that both open-body games and vehicle based games can be more realistically rendered, both with and without support by the host gaming apparatus. Finally, a need exists in the art for a universal tactile feedback system, such that the complete system is versatile, inexpensive, reliable, lightweight, quiet, reconfigurable, reprogrammable, and expandable.
Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to introduce a tactile feedback seating unit that can produce tactile feedback within a seat, that is not based upon a low frequency speaker system, that can function via host-independent digital audio analysis and/or host-dependent direct digital control, the digital signal not necessarily being specific to the actuators in the seat, but rather a general control signal for a distributed system, in order to represent tactile sensations occurring in real time within a computer generated game or simulation, such that the person sitting in the seat feels this representation, and the tactile feedback provided by such a system further enhances the believability of the simulation. It is an additional primary objective of the present invention to implement the tactile feedback seating unit as a self contained unit, where a plurality of tactile feedback actuators are embedded inside a semi-rigid sealed foam cushion, such that the unit is portable, lightweight and quiet, and can fit in almost any chair and function with almost any application.
The present invention provides a tactile feedback system for computer based video games and simulations. More specifically, the tactile feedback system comprises a tactile feedback controller and a plurality of tactile sensation generators.
The tactile feedback controller serves to receive and interpret signals representative of the actions of a particular video game or simulation from a computer or gaming console. The tactile feedback controller produces one or more control signals that are necessary to control one or more tactile sensation generators to effect tactile sensations that correlate to the actions of the video game. The tactile feedback controller can be operated in two different modes, i.e., a host-independent or hostdependent mode.
The host-independent mode allows the tactile feedback controller to interpret the audio signals from a video game to generate the control signals for the tactile sensation generators. Under this mode of operation, the tactile feedback controller is able to use the audio signals to properly decipher the actions of the video game, independent of any control signals from the video game. This mode allows the present tactile feedback system to operate without the direct support of the video game developer, and without regard to the specific hardware that is used to run any given computer game or simulation. Therefore, this mode is called the xe2x80x9chost-independentxe2x80x9d mode of operation.
The host-dependent mode allows the tactile feedback controller to receive and process digital control signals from a video game to generate control signals for the tactile sensation generators. This requires that the control signals from the video game be designed specifically for the tactile feedback system. The tactile feedback controller processes the control signals from the video game and causes the proper tactile sensations to be generated, thereby physically imitating the current actions of the video game. This mode requires specific accommodation by the host gaming hardware and software to function. Therefore, this mode is called the xe2x80x9chost-dependentxe2x80x9d mode of operation.
Regardless as to its mode of operation, the tactile feedback controller has the capability to process signal data and to simultaneously activate one or more tactile sensation generators to simulate the desired action. Namely, the tactile feedback controller appraises the desired action called for by the control signals from the video game and then assesses the best combination of the available tactile sensation generators to effect the tactile sensations associated with the desired action.
Furthermore, the present tactile feedback system allows for customization by the user. A set of parameters can be adjusted to allow the user to tailor how the tactile feedback controller will process the control signals from the video game, e.g., amplification, time delays, duration of sensations, and etc. In fact, the present tactile feedback system allows a user to calibrate each of these parameters to satisfy individual preferences or to account for differences in current or future computer systems. The desired setting for these parameters can be saved for each user and/or for each video game.
Finally, a set of novel tactile sensation generators and/or tactile sensation generator kits for modifying existing computer peripherals are disclosed. The tactile sensation generators include a tactile sensation seating unit, a tactile sensation chest harness, and various tactile sensation actuators that can be attached to or embedded within various control input devices and/or non-interactive surfaces in contact with the user. These tactile sensation generators are coupled to the tactile feedback controller and, in combination therewith, form the present tactile feedback system.